Pizza is simple

"Calizones are our signature product."

Joe Culp, owner and manager of Simple Simon's Pizza said the new restaurant has done very well since opening June 4 in the Pea Ridge location which is the seventh store he has opened.

Culp began working with Simple Simon's in 2007 and has opened several stores over the years and sold a couple. Simple Simon's is headquartered in Tulsa and has stores in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and one in Montana.

"Calizones are our signature product; they're very popular. We also do sandwiches, spaghetti, pasta, Alfredo, wings," Culp said. "We've got several desserts, cookie cake, blueberry, lemon, apple ... cinnamon sticks are very popular."

Buffets are $6.49 for adults, $3.99 for children 4 to 11; and free for children 4 and younger with an adult purchase.

Several flavors of hard dip ice cream are available.

"We can make milkshakes out of any of those flavors as well as floats," Culp said. Drinks include Pepsi products as well as fresh brewed sweet and unsweet tea.

"We tried using a bottled product, but changed to fresh brewed," he said.

There are eight employees at the Pea Ridge Simple Simon's including Culps' son, Zane Culp, 23, who is a team leader. There are three college students and five high school students.

"It's what I do. I'm always looking for communities that need what I have to offer."

"There are other pizza places, but I've never really worried about what other people are doing or who is there. If I see a market that can use what I have to offer, and that market is growing, as Pea Ridge obviously is, I let the community decide what pizza they want," Culp said. "That's free market in action."

Culp, a native of Neosho, Mo., graduated from Crowder College and then Missouri Southern State University where he studied marketing management and business administration. His younger son, Cole Culp, 18, just graduated from high school and attends Crowder.

"Pizza is a very simple concept. With the Simple Simon's franchise system, it's just really easy -- with a challenge at the same time. The system is easy. How we produce our kitchen, the whole flow -- it's not like you're doing 20 different courses. Everything goes through the pizza oven, it's a big convection oven.

"I still love pizza!"

Full service is offered. There is a dining room where orders are taken at the table.

"I always recommend our calizones... if I can get somebody to try our calizone, with our special sauce, it's definitely going to be a repeat. I'd top that off with peanut butter fudge ice cream," Culp said.

The original calizone is pepperoni and sausage and is $9.99. There are several other options including a specaility and build your own with up to five toppings.

"In all my years, I've only seen one person eat a whole one," he said. "It could easily feed a couple."

Culp said he likes to work with the school and offer a scholastic achievement card providing a free single topping mini pizza to a child who earns it through good grades.

Even though the restaurant closes at 9 p.m. on Friday nights, Culp said if someone wants to come by after a football game, they can call before 9 p.m. and let him know and he'll stay open.